Kazakhstan 
Fire at sulfuric acid plant affects uranium production
A fire at a
sulfuric acid production plant has led to rationing in Kazakhstan. KazAtomProm
said supply problems should be resolved by the end of the year but it might have
to revise uranium production forecasts for early 2008. Sulfuric acid is used as
the main chemical reagent in in-situ leaching (ISL) uranium production, which is
able to extract uranium with no need for excavation. In addition to disruption
by fire at one plant, the start-up of some new facilities has also been delayed.
The result has been rationing of acid, which could continue into the second
quarter of 2008. The problem is particularly important for Kazakh uranium
mining, which predominantly uses ISL and requires large amounts of non-reusable
sulfuric acid to counter the neutralising effect of the high carbonate content
of Kazakh orebodies. (WNA Nov. 5, 2007)
Penalty imposed on Muyunkum ISL mine: The Kazakhstan environmental
department has imposed a penalty of 40 million Tenge (US$ 338,000) on KATCO for
violations of environmental law. (Kazakhstan Today Aug. 4, 2008)
As KATCO
refused to pay, the environmental department now turns to the administrative
court for a forced penalty. (Kazakhstan Today Oct. 31, 2008)
Wind River road project for Cash Minerals' uranium exploration project in
the Wernecke Mountains
Environmentalists in the Yukon are preparing to fight
a proposed winter road in the Wind River area, arguing that it would threaten
one of North America's finest watersheds.
Cash Minerals 
, which is
exploring for uranium in the central Yukon area, included a winter road along
the river in its land-use application. The proposed road, which would lead
to the company's uranium claims, would follow an old mining road known as the
Wind River Trail north of Keno.
Protests against proposed uranium exploration at Foghorn property
Around
300 people gathered on July 10, 2006, to protest the exploration of uranium
deposits on the Foghorn property, the possibility of a mine, and uranium mining
in general. The protestors gathered outside the Clearwater Resource Centre,
where
International Ranger
Corporation held an open house to answer questions and concerns citizens of
the valley had about the drilling and exploration that the company has applied
for a permit for from the The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources.
(Clearwater Times July 17, 2006)
Québec plans public inquiry into environmental impacts of uranium projects
in the Province, delaying Matoush project
The Minister of the Environment of
Québec plans to ask the
Bureau d'audiences
publiques sur l'environnement (BAPE - Office of Public Inquiries on
the Environment) to assess the impacts of uranium exploration and exploitation
in the province.
This announcement dampens the enthusiasm of mining company
Strateco Resources, which received CNSC approval for its
Matoush exploration project on Wednesday (Oct. 17). On
Thursday (Oct. 18), minister Breton declared that the company will have to wait
for the conclusions to be drawn by BAPE. (Radio Canada Oct. 18, 2012)
Grand Council of the Crees demands moratorium on uranium mining in northern
Québec
On Aug. 8, 2012, the General Assembly of the Grand Council of the
Crees unanimously adopted a resolution demanding a moratorium on uranium mining
in slightly less than half of the area covered by the Plan Nord of the liberal
government [1.2 million square kilometres north of the 49th parallel]. The Cree
are particularly worried about the radioactive wastes that will permanently be
dumped on their territory, while there exist no proven methods to prevent the
risks of contamination of humans and damage to the environment. (Le Devoir Aug.
9, 2012)
Petition for uranium moratorium presented to National Assembly of
Québec
On Nov. 8, 2011, Amir Khadir, member of parliament of Mercier
accepted to present a petition for a moratorium on uranium exploration and
mining to the National Assembly of Québec. The petition was signed by 5,073
persons from the Bonaventure area (Gaspé peninsula). (L'Écho de la Baie Nov. 9,
2011)
Teachers' association takes position against uranium exploration and mining
in northern Québec
The Association of employees of Northern Quebec
(AENQ-CSQ), affiliated to the Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ), takes
position against the exploration and exploitation of uranium ore, whether it be
in Mistissini or Kangiqsualujjuaq. The Association of Employees of Northern
Quebec has over 1,500 members. It represents, teachers and support staff of the
Cree and Kativik school boards as well as employees of childcare centres in the
Cree Territory. (AENQ Oct. 29, 2010)
Petition against nuclear power and for uranium moratorium presented to
National Assembly of Québec
A petition launched by Artists for Peace and
signed by 4300 people demands that Québec retracts completely from nuclear
energy, from prospection for uranium to its use in nuclear power plants. The
petition was presented to the National Assembly by Amir Khadir, member of
parliament of Mercier on Mar. 18, 2010. (Radio Canada Mar. 18, 2010)
Petitions for uranium moratorium presented to National Assembly of
Québec
On Feb. 17, 2010, three petitions demanding a moratorium for uranium
exploration and mining in Québec have been presented to the National Assembly of
Québec. The petitions were signed by almost 14,000 persons. (Radio Canada Feb.
17, 2010)
Moratorium on uranium exploration in Québec denied
Québec vice minister
of natural resources Serge Simard does not intend to follow demands of the
mouvement Côte-Nord sans uranium to impose a moratorium on uranium
exploration. (Radio Canada Nov. 16, 2009)
Inuit oppose uranium mining in northern Québec: For
two weeks already, Inuit inhabitants have established a camp at the exit of the
Betsiamites reservation. They protest against the Province government's Plan
Nord for the exploitation of the natural resources of Northern Québec. Among
others, they complained about the fact that uranium will not be excluded from
the list of exploitable minerals. (Le Devoir Jun. 1, 2011)
Uranium
exploration project near Pointe-à-la-Croix abandoned after protests: Terra
Firma Resources Inc. has decided to abandon its uranium exploration project near
Pointe-à-la-Croix. (Radio Canada Apr. 21, 2011)
Property owners of Pointe-à-la-Croix forbid exploration company to enter
their ground: More than 125 property owners have sent registered letters
forbidding access to their ground to the company Terra Firma Resources Inc. The
company wants to explore uranium deposits in the Pointe-à-la-Croix area. (Radio
Canada Apr. 13, 2011)
Doctors and Métis demand moratorium for uranium exploration in Gaspé
peninsula 18 medical doctors in the Baie des Chaleurs area have signed an
open letter demanding the halt of uranium exploration at Pointe-à-la-Croix and
Escuminac. The Métis community of Gaspé, too, has demanded a moratorium. (L'Écho
de la Baie Feb. 1, 2011)
On Feb. 2, 2011, the Conseil d'administration of the
Centre de santé et de services sociaux de la
Baie-des-Chaleurs (CSSSBC) has demanded the Québec government to impose a moratorium
on uranium exploration and mining on the territory of Baie-des-Chaleurs, until
the results of a study on the health effects of uranium are available. The
results of the study conducted by experts of the
Institut national de santé publique du Québec
(INSPQ) are expected in winter 2012.
> Download
CSSSBC communique Feb. 2,
2012
(PDF - in French)
Uranium exploration on Gaspé peninsula faces obstacles The uranium
exploration planned by
Terra Firma
Resources Inc. on its Restigouche property on Gaspé peninsula faces obstacles:
the most promising Cross Point block is soon to be added to the
Listuguj Indian Reserve ; in addition, the
mayor of Pointe-à-la-Croix firmly opposes uranium exploration and mining at the
Mann block and supports the newly formed
Coalition Stop uranium Baie des Chaleurs
. (Le
Soleil Nov. 25, 2010)
Company
postpones uranium exploration project in Mingan area due to anti-uranium stir in
Québec: Gimus Resources Inc. announced on Nov. 2, 2012: "Considering the
recent developments in the uranium sector in Québec, the Company decided to
postpone any additional exploration work on its Baie Johann-Beetz Property."
Municipalities oppose uranium mining in Mingan area: Petition against
uranium exploration in Mingan area: The group "Minganie sans uranium" will
present a petition with more than 900 signatures to the city council of
Havre-Saint-Pierre Monday night (Nov. 7). The petition demands the council
members to adopt a resolution opposing uranium exploration and mining. The other
seven municipalities of the Mingan area have adopted such resolutions already.
(Radio Canada Nov. 7, 2011)
On Nov. 7, 2011, the city council of
Havre-Saint-Pierre adopted a resolution against uranium exploration and mining.
The group "Minganie sans uranium" now plans to ask the regional county
municipality (MRC) of Minganie to take position against the uranium activities.
(Radio Canada Nov. 8, 2011)
In response to a complaint filed by citizens of the Côte-Nord area, the
Ministry of Environment of Québec will send
an inspector to the uranium exploration site near Baie-Johan-Beetz. The citizens
fear an impact of the drilling operations on their drinking water resource. (Le
Soleil Jul. 13, 2011)
The municipality of Baie-Johan-Beetz and several others oppose any uranium
mining in the Mingan area. Currently,
Uracan Resources is exploring a
site 10 km north of Baie-Johan-Beetz. (Radio Canada Jan. 25, 2010)
NGOs and local
government oppose uranium exploration and mining near proposed Kuururjuaq Park
in Nunavik (Québec): Uranium exploration companies don't want Kuururjuaq,
Nunavik's second provincial park, to prevent them from mining near the area. But
several other groups want to see park boundaries expanded by 1,800 sq km to
protect rare fossils, pristine lakes, and caribou breeding grounds nearby.
Arguments for the two opposing views surfaced during
public hearings
held March 14 and 15, 2007 , in Kangiqsualujjuaq on planning for Kuururjuaq Park.
Azimut Exploration Inc. , a Montreal-based
firm with a uranium property near Kuururjuaq, strongly opposes any limits on
mineral exploration or mining near the park.
But
Makivik Corporation said the
birthright organization has "very serious reservations" about plans for uranium
mining near Kuururjuaq, which includes a scenic mineral-rich belt near the
Torngat Mountains. And the
Canadian Parks and
Wilderness Society and the
Kativik Regional Government
(KRG) want to see a buffer zone as well as an expansion of the park's boundaries
at Mont Nuvulialuk and around Tasikallak Bay. These groups want the park's
boundaries expanded by 1,800 sq km at the south and north ends to protect
fossils and lakes near Tasikallak and unique land features near Nuvialuk that
date back to the last ice age, including rocky ice fields and remnants of
ancient shorelines. (Nunatsiaq News Apr. 20, 2007)
Demonstration against uranium exploration in
Québec: On June 3, 2006, about 70 people gathered at Mont-Laurier to protest
against uranium exploration in Québec. The demonstration was organized by the
environmental organisation
l'Association pour la
Protection de l'Environnement des Hautes-Laurentides (APEHL) , and a group of
students. (L'Écho de la Lièvre, June 20, 2006)
> View
deposit details
Trade associations join opposition to uranium exploration at Lac
Kachiwiss
Développement économique Sept-Îles (DESI) and the chamber of
commerce of Sept-Îles join the municipality to increase the vigilance against
the uranium exploration project at lac Kachiwiss. The two organizations are
strictly opposed to the project. (Radio Canada Dec. 16, 2009)
Demonstration at Sept-Îles against uranium exploration and mining in
Québec
More than 1200 people joined a demonstration against uranium
exploration and mining in Québec, organized by the group
Sept-Îles Sans Uranium at Sept-Îles on
Dec. 13, 2009. (Radio Canada/Le Soleil Dec. 13, 2009)
Terra Ventures Inc. puts uranium exploration at controversial Lac Kachiwiss
project on hold
On Dec. 11, 2009, Terra Ventures Inc. announced that "Due to
current market conditions with respect to U
3O
8 pricing,
the Company did not conduct any core drilling on the Lac Kachiwiss property in
2009. In addition, with the onset of winter, construction work has ceased on the
access route to the property. [...]"
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